I will write to you more at large ere long about slavery, when
I have not topics pressing on time and pen.
We left our hotel this morning at eight o'clock, and even in the omnibus
noticed the improved and very intelligent appearance of the men. They
answered us quickly, cheerfully, and to the purpose; many wore large
picturesque felt hats of various forms. It is true that, on starting, we
were still in Virginia, of which Wheeling is one of the largest towns;
but the bulk of our fellow-passengers were evidently from the West; they
are chiefly descendants of the New Englanders, and partake of their
character, with the exception of the nasal twang, which is worse in New
England than anywhere else in America, and we are now losing the sound
of it. The omnibus made a grand circuit of the town to pick up
passengers, and thus gave us the only opportunity we had of seeing
something of it. It rained in torrents, and this probably made it look
more dismal than usual, but it certainly is much less picturesque and
more English-looking than any town we have yet seen. The coal and iron,
which constitute its chief trade, give it a very dirty appearance; but
its natural situation, stretching along the banks of the Ohio, which are
here very high on both sides, is very beautiful. The omnibus at last
crossed the river by a very fine suspension bridge, and, having left the
slave states behind us, we found ourselves in the free State of Ohio.
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